MLB 14 The Show release dates announced for PS4, PS3 and Vita

MLB 14 The Show has finally been dated for PlayStation platforms. The PS3 and Vita versions of the Sony-exclusive baseball sim will be available on April 1, 2014. The PS4 version will release some time in May, though no specific date was given.

SCEA San Diego Studios shed some light on this year's game, revealing that there are over 50 new improvements and features that "will enhance, deepen, streamline, and better your overall experience. Quick Counts will cut game completion times in half. A new UI, built from the ground up for PS4 (but carried over across all versions) has been optimized for maximum efficiency and responsiveness."

All three versions of the game will support cross-platform saves along with year-to-year saves, allowing your progress in MLB 14 to carry over to next year's game. Sony also teased that Road to the Show will "continue its evolution," but offered no further details.

Other improvements include an "expanded, smarter" Universal Profile that will now track player tendency. You will be able to train your Profile and sub it into Diamond Dynasty games to give your human opponent a "better" matchup than just the CPU. Community Challenges will provide user generated content, as players will be able to create key baseball scenarios and share them with others online.

Speaking of online, Sony will expand upon Online Leagues with Online Franchise. This will include multi-season play with Scouting, the Amateur Draft, Free Agency, and CPU Trades.

Lastly, Sony will simplify add-on purchases, rolling everything into a Universal Currency called Stubs. Sony was quick to assure gamers that "not one cent needs to be spent on Stubs for users to enjoy a full experience" of MLB 14 The Show. Stubs can be earned through general gameplay, just like XP, and are tied to your Universal Profile. The rate at which Stubs are earned has been described as "intentionally generous," as Sony is not designing the system to pressure you into spending money.